Airplane propeller



Dec. 20; 1932..

S. E. SLONIMSKY AIRPLANE PROPELLER Filed Nov. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 20, 1932. s. E. SLONIMSKY AIRPLANE PROPELLER Filed Nov. 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V VE N TOR Patented Dec. 1932 v PATENT ,OFFICE.

samunr. E. 'sLoNmsxY, or CHELSEA, massacnusn'r'rs I AIRPLANE PROPELLER Application flled November 23, 1981. Serial No. 576,774.

This intention relates to and has for an object the provision of an'improved type of airplane propeller of the same general character and for the same general purpose asthat described and claimed in my pending application for Ser. No. 364,805.

The principal object of the invention disclosed in this application is to provide a mechanism attachable to an airplane motor for operatively supporting and connecting the propellers with the motor in such a manner that a pilot during the flight of a plane may change the pitch of the propeller blades to selected angles or to neutral position, or

reverse the blades at will while the plane is in motion. 1 7

Another object is to provide a simplified and durable mechanism embod ing certain 0 improvements over the form of evice shown in my said. pending application, which will appear as the description progresses. In the accompanying drawings-I have shown a preferred form of invention subject to modifica-f tlon within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit thereof. Insaid drawin s, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional ele ation of the propeller mechanism in the plane of 39 the axis of the propeller.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. with the cover plate for the propeller hub removed to 'showthe mechanism within the hub. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the driving and control mechanism partly in section.

- Fig. 4 is a transverse section of one of the prgpeller blades on line 44 of Fig. 1. l

' ig. 5 is a fragmentary plan of the mechanism partly in section. The following is a detailed description of the structure and operation of my improved mechanism. Referrin to Fig. 1,,A is a housing which may be suitabl motor block or to the fuselilge of a plane or the like and may include several sections, as at a, b, c, d, e, ,etc., suitably formed and de-- tachably connected together for the purpose of facilitating the assembly of the mechanism. Enclosed within said housing and secured i to the conventional propeller shaft 1 is a patent filed May 21, 1929,

attached to the drive gear 2 which meshes with and drives a driven gear 3 suitably fixed to a hollow shaft 4 which is spaced from and parallels the shaft 1. Attached to or formed on the outer end of shaft 4 is a hub 5 which supports a I plurality of propeller blades 6, 6 etc. and associated parts.

Each of the blades 6 is operatively supported on the housing by means of a stem or shaft 7 which is radially positioned relative 9 to the axis of the hub 5 and the'driventshaft' '4. The propeller stems 7 are journaled in bearings 8 which are preferablyof frictionless character, as shown inFig. 1. The inner extremities of the stems 7 carrybeveled pinions 9 which commonly mesh with a relative- 1y central master gear 10 which has a hollow hub 11 journaled in a bore formed in the outer end of shaft. 4.

Uppositely formed helical grooves 12, 12 79' with a long lead are provided in the bore of hub 11 for receiving the oppositeends of a pin 13 which extends diametrically thru and projects from opposite ortions of the periphery of a hollow sha t 14, which is ]0l11- naled in the hub 11 of gear 10.

The inner end 15 of shaft 14 is ]ournaledand also slidably supported in the hollow shaft 4. A pin 16 is'extended diametrically thru the inner end 15 of shaft 14 and its op- 30 posite ends extend thru slots .17 17 formin keyways for said pin,, ,which are provlde near the'inner end of shaft 4. A flanged plug 18 isthreaded into the inner end'of shaft 4 to provide a. retainin ping-for an 35 annular thrust bearing 19 w 1011 supports said shaft 4 at its inner end in the housing A. 1 v

Bearing 19 is supported by means of a ring 20 secured in position within the hous- 9 I ing A'by' means of a plurality of screws or bolts, as at 21. Intermediate the master gear 10 and the bearing 19 the shaft 4 is additionally supported by .means I of a .frlctlonless bearing 22 within and suitably supported by the housing A. Intermediate the bearings 319 and 22 a frictionless bearing 23 is provided which encompasses the shaft 4 and has its inner cone 24 fixed at diametrically o osite points to the extremitiesof pin 16. he

.rocal movement in a transverse outer cone 25 of bearing 23 is formed so as to provide longitudinal thrust to the shaft 14 by means of the connection of said bearing with the pin 16.

The cone 25 is provided with an annular flange 26 having slots 27 therein which slidably engage splines 28 formed on or affixed to the interior of housing'A. The member 25 is also provided upon its periphery and inwardly of flange 26 with external threads 29 (preferably double or triple threads) so as to provide for rapid adjustment of the device, as hereinafter described.

A ring. gear 30 with internal threads 31 corresponding in size, pitch and lead to the threads 29 on members 25 is supported within the housing A by means of bearings 32 and 32' suitably secured to said housing. A rack 33 is provided within the housing for recipane for rotating the ring gear 30 to a se ected extent at will,said rack being suitably, mounted for slidable movement in the housing A.

A shaft 34, preferably of tubular form in order to provide light weight, is mounted within the'shaft 14, and its inner end is held in the collar 18 as shown. Shaft 34 is slotted at diametrically opposite points thruout its length excepting at its two extremities to permit a relative longitudinal movement of shafts 14 and 34. At this point it will be noted that relative rotation of shafts 4, 15 and 34 is prevented by means of the pins 13 and 16, and a supplemental pin 35 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 1, for this purpose if necessary. Said pins, however, provide -means for operatively connecting the shafts 3, 14 and 34.

Outwardly of the beveled pinions 9 attached to stem 7 I provide within the hub 5 a radially disposed locking pin 36 associated with each of the propeller blades, the .outer ends of said pins being enlarged at 37 and conically formed at theirouter extremities to facilitate the seating thereof in correspondingly shaped cavities 38 which are provided in the inner end of each of the blades 6. The inner end of each pin 36 is provided with a block 41, one end of which is squared to slidably engage an end cover plate 42 of hub 5, thereby preventing the rotation of the-pin, while the inner endof each block 41 is beveled as and for the purpose hereinafter described.

The pins 36 are normally urged into seating engagement with the cavities 38', by means of coil springs 39 carried on said pins within bores 40 in the hub 5, and said springs compress between the bottoms of said bores and the heads 37 of the pins. The outer end of shaft 34 is internally threaded to receive a flange pin 43 by means of which a spider ring 44 is secured to shaft 34 and pin 43 extends substantially outwardly from. the spider and thru an orifice provided in the as seen in Fig. 1. The inward movement of shaft 44 and associated parts, however,is limited by the nut 45 which engages the cover plate 42. The inner end of shaft 34 is provided with a conical plug 47 adapted for engagement with a cam 48 secured to a rack 49 as y means of screws or pins 50. The racks 33 and 49 which are substantially in the same plane and in parallelism preferably project from one side of the housing A and may be suitably enclosed within an additional housing B secured to the housing A as by means of bolts, as at 51. (See-Fig. 3,)

Suitably journaled in the auxiliary housing B are a pair of hollow telescoping shafts 52 and 53, the former being inwardly of the latter. One end of shaft 52 has a inion 54 secured thereto within the housing B which meshes with rack 33, and a corresponding end of shaft 53 has a pinion 57 secured thereto, as by means of-set screws 56, within the housing B, which meshes-with the rack 49. The opposite ends of shafts 52 and 53 carryhand wheels or handles 55 and 58, respectively, for operating the racks 33 and 49.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

When a pilot or operator desires to change the motor is operating, the control handle 58 is moved in a clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, thus correspondin ly rotating the pinion 57 thru the medium of the rack 49 and also rotating the cam 48 into engagement with the tapered plug 47 on the end of shaft 34. The rotation of handle 58 and its shaft 53 as described will move shaft 34 longitudinally and outwardly in the direction of the cover plate 42, thereby causing the spider 44 on the outer end of said shaft to enga e the beveled blocks 41. Thus the heads 37 o the locking pins 36 are drawn inwardly against the tension of their springs 39 and from positions of engagement with the cavities 38 in the propeller mounting. The blades 6, 6, tho in such case free to be rotated manually, are incapable (if rotation the pitch of the propeller blades 6, 6 etc. while 7 to rotate the beveled gears 9, 9 etc. and 10, the grooves 12 are so inclined as to urge the pin 13 backwardly to overcome or resist the tendency to rotate the beveled gear. Thus the shaft 14 and the. pin 16 exert a thrust to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, on the bearing 23. It will be notedthat the frictionless bearing 23 not only serves as a'thrust bearing for the shaft 14 but it additionally serves as an annular bearing by means of which the parts of the mechanism are rotated for changingring 25 is prevented from rotation by means "of the splines 28.

By reference to 1 it will be observed that because of the structural connection of the bearing 23 with the pin 16 any movement I of rin 25 rearwardly will correspondingly move s aft 14 longitudinally of shaft 4. The pin 13 being fixed in the shaft 14 and having its ends engaging the helical grooves 12 1n hub 11 of gear 10 will, when the shaft 14 moves rearwardly, engage and rotate gear 10 in a clockwise direction, as seen from the rear of Fig. 1, thereby changing the angle of the blades '6 thru the operative connection of gears 9 and 10..

Tho not shown in the drawings or described herein, the operating members 55 and 58 may be provided with suitable ratchets or other devices of conventional type to revent their operation except at the will 0 the operator and to hold them in positions to which they have been moved by the operator. When the angle of the blades 6 has been changed as described, the control handle 58 is then moved by the operator in a reverse or counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, thereby, thru the medium of the gear. 54 and the rack 33, retracting the'cam 48 from .engagement with the plug 47. Spring 46 is then free to move the shaft 43 carrying the spider 44 rearwardl disengaging the beveled blocks 41, there y permitting the heads- 47 to seat in certain of the cavities 38, which positively locks the blades 6 at the desired angle.

What I claim is:

1. A propeller mechanism comprising in combination a plurality of propeller blades f ttogether rotatable about a common axis and ependently rotatable on different axes for changing the pitch thereof, a driving shaft, bevel gears rotatably connecting all of said propellers for common rotation with said shaft, means for locking said propellers against adjusting as to pitch, and means including a shaft axially'dis osed relative to the propeller longitudinal y extensible for engaging said locking means for unlocking said blades, and relatively telescoping means .rotatably adjustable for changing the pitch of said propeller at will.

2. A propeller mechanism comprising incombination a plurality of propeller blades together rotatable about a commonaxis and independently rotatable on different axes for changing the pitch thereof, a driving shaft, bevel gearing for rotatablyconnecting all of said propellers for common rotation with said shaft, plungers radiating from the axis of the propeller sha ft engaging and for looking said blades against adjusting as to pitch, and a pair of shafts telescopin said driving shaft, one of said shafts adapted to engage and retract said plungers for respectively unlocking the propeller blades and the other shaft connected with said gears for changing the-pitch of said propellers at will, said last mentioned means including independent devices connected respectively with and for manually operating said shafts.

3. A propeller mechanism comprising a housing, driving and driven shafts mounted therein and operatively connected, a rotatable propeller hub fixed to said driven shaft, a plurality of propeller blades radially disposed andadjustable as to pitch on said hub, bevel gearing connecting said blades with said driven shaft to permit the simultaneous rotation of the propellers when power is applied from the driving shaft, simultaneously operable locking devices enclosed by said hub for'locking said blades against rotation on said hub during the rotation thereof, and a pair of shafts telescoping said driven shaft and, slidably adjustable thereon for respectively engaging and retracting said locking devices for unlocking the blades to permit the adjustment-thereof, and for thereafter rotating the blades thru said gears to a common extent for changing their pitch. 4. A propeller mechanism as characterized in claim 3, including cooperating means on one of said axially adjustable members and on said locking means for retracting the locking means. j 1 5. A propeller mechanism, comprising a housing, a propeller unit tatable on said housing and including a 'entral body and a plurality of radially disposed blades rotatable thereon for varying their pitch, saidunit having a shaft supported in said housing, bevel gearing operatively connecting said propeller shaft with said blades, :1 drive shaft journaled in said housing operatively connected with saidpropeller shaft, and a pair of telescoping shafts axially adjustable in said propeller shaft and rotatable therewith, radially disposed plun ers in said propeller bod'. for

4 locking sai blades normally against' a ment, and means externally of said housing of said blades while the and connected respectively with said telescoping shafts and with said propeller blades for manually unlocking and adjusting the pitch propeller unit is rotated.

6. A propeller mechanism comprising a housing, a drive shaft journaled therein, a hub havin a shaft extended therefrom journaled also in said housing, gearing connecting said shafts, a plurality of propeller blades rotatably mounted on the periphery of said hub and having shafts ournaled in said hub, beveled gearing operativel connecting the shafts of said blades with said hub shaft, means externally of said housing for rotating said gearing so as to correspondingly rotate and change the tive to the axis of said hub for locking engagement with said blades, a shaft telescopically held in said hub and manually operable from the exterior pf said housing for longitudinal movement, and cooperating devices on the inner extremities of said plungers and the adjacent end of said telescoping shaft for simultaneously and correspondingly retraoti and unlocking said plungers from the said blades to permit the rotation of the blades on the hub thru the operation of said gears to change the pitch thereof.

' SAMUEL E. SLONIMSKY.

pitch of said blades, plungers v radially disposed in said hub from and rela- 

